Imbolc Crafting

What would a spring festival be without some sewing and baking?  In preparation for our day yesterday I made these wishpillows for the children.  It is a simple idea, a pillow with a pocket on the front that hangs from the door of their bedroom.  I made some cute little pre cut papers to write wishes on and tucked them into the pocket.  The child writes (or draws) their wish on the paper then hangs it on their door for the fairies to see.  Then the fairies can take the wish off to fairy land.

I explained to the children that the wish pillows are for heart wishes not ‘stuff’ wishes; Huwyl seemed to take to the idea and wished for his fairy friend to come in the night and take him for a visit to fairy land.  Good wish!

With wishes as our theme we also made wish bread (from the recipe in Circle Round) at our lovely friend Cheryl’s house.  The children happily rolled the dough into balls and licked their lips as the glaze was added to each layer.  Many wishes were made, the prime wish seemed to be I wish the wish bread would cook quicker!

Unfortunately I have no pictures of the fantastic finished product as I had a napping Neirin in my arms so was confined to the couch with a big plate of warm, sweet wish bread and a happily snoozing bean.  Darn.

The other bit of baking I did was a couple of dozen muffins.  I used my standby recipe for Blueberry Muffins from Nigella Lawson’s How To Be A  Domestic Goddess.  They always turn out beautifully but I also felt the need for something of a chocolate variety.  Ok, I always feel the need for something of a chocolate variety but on this day I had the perfect excuse.

I amended the recipe to make a chocolate muffin and added chocolate chips and walnuts.  I am very pleased with the way they turned out and, judging by the way they have been eaten, everyone else was too!

If you are interested in the recipe, here it is

75 grams of butter

1 egg

200 mls of Buttermilk or 100mls milk + 100mls yoghurt

200 grams all purpose flour

75 grams caster sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp backing powder

pinch of salt

25 grams unsweetened cocoa powder

100 grams choc chips

100 grams walnuts

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F.  Melt the butter and set aside to cool a little.  Whisk egg into buttermilk then add the cooled butter and mix.  In a bowl seive the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cocoa.  Add the wet ingredients and mix lightly with a wooden spoon.  Don’t overstir or try to make the mix too smooth.  Add choc chips and walnuts and again mix lightly.  Using large paper cases divide the mix and put in the oven for 20 mins.  For the blueberry version omit the cocoa powder, choc chips and walnuts.  Add 200 grams of blueberries instead.

When the muffins are just shy of burning hot, pop on the kettle then sit down with a cup of tea and some still warm, melting chocolate, nut crunch goodness.  Enjoy.